The Friday college basketball slate features a national championship game rematch between Michigan and UConn at TD Garden in Boston. Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 in last year's title game, and the SportsLine Projection Model backs Michigan as a 7.5-point underdog at 8 p.m. ET. The model enters the 2026-27 season on an 11-1 run on top-rated over/under picks and a 28-22 run on top-rated side picks.
Friday Best Bets
Michigan (+7.5) vs. UConn: The Wolverines retained their fourth and fifth leading scorers and added the No. 3 recruiting class per 247Sports, including Tennessee transfer J.P. Estrella who scored 15 points in the opener. UConn lost its top two scorers to the NBA. The model projects Michigan to cover in 51% of simulations.
Saint Louis (+2.5) vs. Missouri: SportsLine expert Bob Konarski notes Saint Louis returns most of its roster and has better continuity and guard play to exploit Missouri's size advantage. Missouri is the second-tallest team in the country with increased offensive firepower.
Oklahoma State (-18.5) vs. Queens: Expert Thomas Casale highlights Queens playing its third game in five days after allowing 193 points in its first two games. Oklahoma State boasts a star-studded recruiting class and transfer haul, and Casale expects the Cowboys to score 100 points at home.
A three-leg parlay combining these picks would pay +601 (risk $100 to win $601). Odds are subject to change.
